BC News

Nearly half of B.C. small businesses dissatisfied with tariff response: survey

Upset with tariff response

Photo: Rob Kruyt, BIV, BIV.

More than half of small business respondents want an expansion of BuyBC initiatives, according to a new survey released by The Business Improvement Areas of B.C.

Many B.C. small businesses want stronger action from the provincial government in response to U.S. tariffs, according to a new survey.

The Business Improvement Areas of B.C. (BIABC), which represents 55,000 small and medium-sized businesses across the province, released results this week from more than 260 business respondents surveyed in late November 2025.

The survey found that 44 per cent of respondents are dissatisfied with the provincial government’s response to tariffs, while 58 per cent want an expansion of the BuyBC program to help businesses better withstand trade disruptions.

“Many businesses continue to report challenges related to sourcing, rising costs and ongoing supply-chain uncertainty,” BIABC said in a statement.

“We acknowledge the province has signed some narrowly focused agreements; however, broad arrangements that encourage free trade and standardized processes across borders remain elusive.”

Last November, the province announced the Look West strategy and signed the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement (CMRA). While these were positive steps, the survey highlighted gaps between government signalling and what small businesses say they urgently need on the ground, according to Jeremy Heighton, president of BIABC.

BIABC is calling on the government to release a tariff response strategy outlining the supports and tools local businesses can leverage to navigate trade uncertainty, and explore ways to better utilize supply chains within B.C.

The organization is also urging the government to make tariff-response funding available to businesses of all sizes. The PacifiCan funding is currently only available to businesses with 10 or more employees, while BIABC’s survey showed that 85 per cent of respondents don't meet the criteria.

“There's an opportunity for the provincial government in this window right now to advance the strength and resiliency in businesses and the economy, to put us in a better position that's outside the forces that are in play,’” Heighton said.

Heighton also asked the government to engage directly with small business owners on tariff responses, noting that the province’s dissolution of the Small Business Roundtable in December has made that more difficult.

Although U.S. tariffs directly impact only certain industries and most B.C. goods remain exempt, Heighton said the uncertainty is eroding business owners’ confidence to invest, disrupting supply chains and driving up prices.

According to a survey released this week by Merchant Growth, an online financing platform, 66 per cent of B.C. small business clients it surveyed said they have scaled back U.S.-related activities, including sales and suppliers, and nearly half (45 per cent) said tariffs and trade disruptions decreased their profit margins over the past 12 months.

Meanwhile, 52 per cent said they incurred between $5,000 and $100,000 in additional costs due to tariffs and trade-related fees over the past 12 months, and 53 per cent said they plan to raise prices in the next six months.

Heighton said B.C. needs to take more concrete steps to remove interprovincial trade barriers, including adding food, alcohol and services to the CMRA, and expand its BuyBC program to strengthen in-province supply chains.

“It's mostly focused on retail. There's another piece of the puzzle, which is the suppliers,” said Heighton. The BuyBC Partnership Program provides up to $2 million annually to local producers to support marketing activities.

“There's an opportunity for the government to [look at], how do we make sure that a supplier of meat, for example, in the interior, can connect to a supermarket in Vancouver?”

Heighton said a more certain, vibrant small business community has a ripple effect on the wellness of the province.

“Small business in B.C. makes up most of our commercial mainstream. These are companies that support and fund art, culture, sports, events, all sorts of activities in our community," he said.

B.C.'s Warm weather forces those in ice-fishing derby into boats

Ice fishers forced onto boats

Ice fisher Krista Clark says unseasonably warm weather is impacting lake fishing conditions. She says that during a fishing trip to Lazy Lake, seen in this handout photo, north of Cranbrook B.C., the ice was melting while she was on it, on Jan. 28, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Krista Clark (Mandatory Credit)

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Photo: The Canadian PressPhoto: The Canadian Press

 

Krista Clark is an avid ice fisher, but it was a late start to the season in British Columbia's East Kootenay region where she's lived for 47 years.

"This year, it's been just waiting and waiting for ice conditions to even appear," she said.

Now, fishers in the region say unseasonably warm temperatures are causing local lakes to melt earlier than normal, forcing an annual derby to rely on boats and causing emergency officials to warn of the risk.

Environment Canada said 17 B.C. communities saw their daily high temperature records matched or broken on Thursday brought in by a ridge of high pressure moving over the province's coast.

The community of Moyie, located about 30 km south of Cranbrook, changed its annual ice fishing derby to a fishing derby because there is not enough ice on the lake.

"I've been here for 24 years and I've never seen these conditions," derby organizer Wanda Cavelle said.

She said the lake would normally have ice until the end of March or beginning of April and be thick enough to carry the weight of quads and snowmobiles.

This year, the lake "is open about 30 feet out from the shore," and there is more unstable, "rotten" ice, Cavelle said.

The derby usually sees at least 200 ice fishers scattered along both sides of the lake from dawn until dusk as they attempt to catch ling cod and Kokanee during the annual charity event, but this year Cavelle said she expects around 70 or 80 people.

The poor ice conditions mean participants will fish from boats or off docks during Saturday's derby.

"We've just had to say basically, nobody go on the ice whatsoever," Cavelle said. "It's very unsafe."

Lorrie Hamilton, one of the organizers of the Adams Army charity fishing derby that takes place on lakes near the B.C. community of Wasa next weekend, said not all of them are safe for ice fishing.

"This is our first year where we're really concerned about it," she said. "We have to be really cautious and make sure everybody's using common sense and checking ice thickness … before they're out on it."

The Columbia Valley Rural Fire & Rescue Services, recommended "extreme caution" for those planning to go out on several East Kootenay lakes, in a notice posted to Facebook on Thursday.

While Lake Windermere had good skating conditions last month, "the lake surface has been deteriorating," Chief Drew Sinclair said.

"Normally people are recreating on the lake prior to Christmas," he said. "So, yeah, this year is quite an oddity."

He said that while the fire service hasn't responded to any ice-related incidents on the lake, they're ready for the potential because of the warm weather.

Sinclair added that they normally see dozens of ice fishing shacks on the lake, but have only spotted three recently.

Cranbrook-based fishing guide Evan Kotyluk said the ice fishing season normally starts the first week of December but didn't start until around Christmas this year.

"There was just no ice anywhere," he said.

He and Clark said that most experienced ice fishers aren't worried about safety with the thinning ice, but they're still taking precautions. "I would just be careful of those first few steps," he said.

Clark said this season's conditions are "odd" compared to previous years.

"Even when I was out last Saturday, the ice was actually melting while I was on it and it was getting slipperier and slipperier, harder to walk on," she said.

Clark said the warm temperatures aren't just impacting human activities around the lake — animals like elk are venturing closer to munch on grass that would usually be covered with snow.

"We were out hiking the other day, and we had the first sign of a bear. They're already coming out early," she said.

Pipeline protest created safety risks, but journalists were let in, says RCMP officer

Reporters were allowed in

Photo: The Canadian Press

Canadian Journalist and Acting Editor-in-chief/Executive director of The Narwhal, Carol Linnitt, front right, delivers a statement as Canadian photojournalist Amber Bracken listens before their trial against the RCMP in Vancouver, on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026. Bracken and The Narwhal news organization are suing the RCMP, seeking damages and a declaration that Bracken was wrongfully arrested in 2021 at a protest by opponents of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in B.C. We’ll be covering the start of the civil trial. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

The senior RCMP officer co-ordinating enforcement at a British Columbia pipeline protest in 2021 says journalists were permitted to go through an "access control point" set up by police, and anyone who claimed to be media was allowed in.

Asst. Commissioner John Brewer is testifying in a case brought by news organization The Narwhal and photojournalist Amber Bracken, seeking a declaration that the arrest of Bracken at the site was unlawful.

Brewer says people claiming to be journalists at the protest against the Coastal GasLink pipeline were to be allowed through by police unless their story "beggared belief."

He told the court he'd seen several examples in the past where people who claimed to be media at protests "simply walked past us, linked arms with the protesters and sat down" after being granted access by officers.

Brewer says protesters claiming to be media at the Fairy Creek logging protest on Vancouver Island, where more than 1,000 people were eventually arrested, had brought cement and other blockade materials, but police were still "chastised" for preventing them access.

He says the pipeline blockade created safety risks because there was only one way in and one way out, hundreds of workers were "trapped" by the blockade, and three days of blocked access would have created issues with food, water and sewage.

Bracken, whose work has been published by news organizations including The Canadian Press, was arrested along with protesters and held for three days.

She has said the civil lawsuit concerns the media as a whole, while The Narwhal's acting editor-in-chief, Carol Linnitt, said in a statement before the trial started that injunction zones like the one at the protest area allow the RCMP alone to "determine what journalism is, who performs it, where and how."

B.C. asks top court to hear DRIPA appeal, saying 'core democratic values' at stake

B.C. appeals to top court

Photo: The Canadian Press

B.C. Premier David Eby speaks during a news conference in Surrey, B.C., on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

British Columbia has applied to the Supreme Court of Canada to hear an appeal against a landmark court ruling that found the province's mineral claims regime was “inconsistent" with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, embodied in a provincial law known as DRIPA.

The filing, which were sent to Canada's highest court on Tuesday, says "reconciliation and core democratic values" are at stake as a result of last year's ruling by the B.C. Court of Appeal in favour of the Gitxaala First Nation, which it says has caused "confusion."

The province says in its filing that the Supreme Court must clarify the legal status of UNDRIP in Canadian law and the role of courts when it comes to interpreting legislation such as the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, which was intended to implement UNDRIP.

Applying to the Supreme Court of Canada does not guarantee that a case will be heard by the panel of judges.

B.C. Premier David Eby said in December that while the government could appeal to the Supreme Court, it would more likely amend the legislation.

It's now doing both, with Eby saying in a statement Friday that in addition to the appeal, the government has started discussions with First Nations to amend DRIPA.

Eby says DRIPA is a "road map" for First Nations and non-First Nations to stay out of court to resolve "shared concerns," but the B.C. Court of Appeal ruling "upends that balance."

The December ruling says DRIPA should be "properly interpreted" to incorporate UNDRIP into the laws of B.C. with immediate legal effect after the court found UNDRIP and the province's mineral claims regime were "inconsistent."

The premier says in his statement that this decision has "created confusion and concern" about DRIPA's intent.

Eby says that is why government will amend DRIPA during the upcoming legislative session, adding that Section 35 of Canada's constitution "will always be there for Nations who wish to challenge government laws or make title claims."

B.C. needs new mental health hospital, psychiatrist tells inquest into family's death

Psychiatric hospital needed

Photo: The Canadian Press

A snowy mountain top is seen in Prince Rupert, B.C., on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

A psychiatrist with British Columbia's Northern Health authority called for a new mental health hospital in B.C. in her testimony to an inquest into the deaths of a Prince Rupert family.

The coroner's inquest has heard that Christopher Duong was suspected by police to have killed his wife Janet Nguyen and their two young sons on June 13, 2023, three days after he was detained under the Mental Health Act but then released a few hours later.

Dr. Barbara Kane was asked if resources at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital, where Duong was assessed, could have influenced the decision to release him, with inquest counsel Steven Liu saying the hearing has heard the locked detention room at the hospital was "akin to torture."

Kane says it's a judgment call that is "not easy," but she's sure that some patients are discharged before they should be, because of a lack of appropriate resources.

She says patients "used to go (to) Riverview," the psychiatric hospital in Coquitlam. B.C., that was closed in 2012, but doctors "don't have that anymore."

The hearing in Burnaby, B.C., has heard that Duong was released after an assessment by a doctor at Prince Rupert Regional Hospital who was also his longtime family physician, and who found him to be "friendly and calm" at the time.

Kane says safety plans for patients detained under the Mental Health Act normally aren't done if they are subsequently released.

Asked for recommendations about psychiatric care, Kane said that the lack of a psychiatric hospital in B.C. has caused backups in patient care.

"We need a psychiatric hospital in B.C., a real psychiatric hospital," she said, adding that maybe the province needed "a couple of them."

Police apprehended Duong after he was found driving around Prince Rupert at 2 a.m., with Nguyen and their boys aged two and four, saying they had to keep driving or they would be killed in a "hit."

Duong was known to police and rumoured to be involved in the drug trade, while a notice of civil claim filed by B.C.'s director of civil forfeiture in 2015 describes him as a "violent gang member and drug trafficker."

But an RCMP officer told the inquest on Thursday there was no evidence that anyone else was involved in the deaths of the family, who were all found in bed together, with an electrical cord around Nguyen's neck, cuts to Duong's arms and legs, and the two boys arranged with teddy bears at their feet.

The officer said a video "last will and testament" was found on the couple's phones.

2026 mortgage renewals in B.C. should be manageable, say experts

'It’s not doom and gloom'

Photo: Rob Kruyt, BIV.

Mortgage default rates are rising in B.C. according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., but they still remain a fraction of one per cent.

Many British Columbians obtained five-year mortgages in 2021 to take advantage of historically low rates during the COVID-19 pandemic, and they are now facing higher monthly payments upon renewal.

The current five-year fixed rate is 3.84 per cent compared to 1.39 per cent in January 2021, while the current five-year variable rate is 3.35 per cent compared to 0.99 per cent in January 2021, according to Jan. 27, 2026 data from Ratehub.ca for insured mortgages.

Another group took out shorter three-year mortgages in 2023, when interest rates were higher than today. These people could now see a decrease in their interest rate and monthly payment, said Rebecca Casey, president of the Canadian Mortgage Brokers Association - British Columbia.

The 2021 cohort bought before the peak of the market in terms of values, she said. They may have seen their property value rise to a degree, giving them more tools to alleviate the jump in payment.

The 2023 folks did not experience that same level of price appreciation, she said. While they may be able to snag a lower rate, they may not have the same options for debt consolidation or overall change in their cash flow.

Default rates, historically very low in Canada, are creeping up.

B.C.’s mortgage delinquency rate was 0.19 per cent in the third quarter of 2025, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC). This measures the share of loans that are 90 or more days past due, and has been trending up since the low of 0.10 seen in the second half of 2022.

In the Vancouver region specifically, the delinquency rate was similar at 0.18 in the third quarter of 2025, up from a low of 0.8 per cent seen in the second half of 2022 and early 2023.

“We are seeing higher levels of it than we have historically, but it’s still important to note that it’s still low,” Casey said.

“It’s not doom and gloom. … There are options and it doesn’t have to be a terrifying experience.”

Clay Jarvis, mortgage expert with NerdWallet Inc., said people who took out mortgages in 2021 have likely paid off $100,000 or more since then, making the math more favourable. They may also be earning higher wages than they did five years ago.

If a person’s interest rate doubles from two to four per cent, this doesn’t mean that their monthly payment will double, he noted.

“It’s going to increase, but you are renewing a smaller loan, so you don’t necessarily have to freak out quite as much,” he said.

Penelope Graham, mortgage expert with Ratehub Inc., said borrowers are protected by stress tests, meaning they should theoretically be able to carry their mortgage at a rate two-per-cent higher than what they actually get from their bank, providing a bit of a buffer.

The 2024 federal budget enhanced the Canadian Mortgage Charter, which contains guidance for banks dealing with vulnerable borrowers. Standards include temporarily extending the amortization period and waiving interest on interest, according to an April 2024 summary by Gowling WLG.

The charter, which can form the basis for consumer complaints to the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada, exempts insured mortgage holders from requalifying under the stress test when switching lenders at renewal, the law firm said.

Steve Ng, mobile mortgage specialist district manager with Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD), said some borrowers can consolidate credit cards, auto loans and lines of credit into their mortgage when it comes due. They can also use a home equity line of credit that is secured by the home to reduce overall interest costs.

The Bank of Canada’s policy rate determines variable rates, while bond yields determine fixed mortgage rates, he said.

Canada-U.S.-Mexico (CUSMA) trade negotiations could potentially affect variable rates, but TD is currently not anticipating any drastic moves by the Bank of Canada, Ng said.

For fixed rates, bond yields suggest economic growth could improve toward the end of 2026, which could lead to inflation and an uptick in rates, he said.

NerdWallet’s Jarvis said he doesn’t see anything in bond yields to indicate significant movement in fixed mortgage rates in the immediate future.

“Trying to predict fixed rates going months or years in advance is a fool’s errand,” he said.

Environment Canada issues a fog advisory for Trans-Canada Highway for Rogers Pass

Near zero visibility

Photo: DriveBC

Highway 1 about 72 km east of Revelstoke at Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park, looking east.

Environment Canada has issued a visibility warning for parts of the Trans-Canada Highway.

The alert warns of near-zero visibilty for areas ranging from and including the North Columbia; West Columbia; East Columbia; Trans-Canada Highway — Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass; North Thompson; Highway 97 — Clinton to 100 Mile House via Begbie Summit and 100 Mile.

Environment Canada says their confidence in the forecast is high but they also list the impact level as moderate.

The forecast calls for, "near zero visibility in fog." Conditions are expected to continue to until late morning.

Environment Canada reminds travellers that weather in the mountains can change suddenly causing hazardous driving conditions. "Widespread near zero visibility is possible," says the weather statement from Environment Canada.

Drivers are advised to check Castanet's highway cameras and consult DriveBC before heading out.

Record breaking warm temperatures in B.C.

Record breaking warmth

Photo: Colin Dacre

FILE- It's been grey but warm around Okanaganan Lake

Warm weather returned to B.C. Thursday, toppling more than a dozen records as the day wore on.

The warmest record-breaking location was Abbotsford, where the mercury reached 16.4 C, topping a record of 15.1 C set on that day in 1984.

The oldest record broken was in Duncan where the mercury reached14.1 C, breaking a record of 13.3 C set in 1934.

It's the second day in a row that more than a dozen records were broken throughout what is shaping up to be a warm winter for much of the province.

Weather records for Feb. 5:

• Abbotsford Area: New 16.4 C, Old 15.1 C (1984)
• Agassiz Area: New 16.1 C, Old 14 C (1984)
• Bella Bella Area: New 14.2 C, Old 14 C (1993)
• Bella Coola Area: New 12.9 C, Old 10.7 C (2010)
• Campbell River Area: New 14.7 C, Old 12.2 C (2015)
• Chetwynd Area: New 10.7 C, Old 10 C (1984)
• Duncan Area: New 14.1 C, Old 13.3 C (1934)
• Esquimalt Area: New 13.4 C, Old 13.3 C (1963)
• Hope Area: New 12.8 C, Old 12.2 C (1941)
• Mackenzie Area: New 9.1 C, Old 6.3 C (2022)
• Nanaimo Area: New 13 C, Old 12.4 C (2015)
• Pitt Meadows Area: Tied 14.4 C (1941)
• Prince George Area: New 11.7 C, Old 10 C (1961)
• Puntzi Mountain Area: New 10.6 C, Old 9.5 C (1961)
• Sparwood Area: New 12.6 C, Old 9.3 C (2009)
• Squamish Area: New 15.1 C, Old 13.3 C (1984)
• Victoria Area: New 13.9 C, Old 12.6 C (1987)

Timeline for wide-ranging review of B.C.'s post-secondary sector extended by two weeks

Post-secondary review delay

Photo: KTW file photo

FILE - A Thompson Rivers University student walks through the Campus Activity Centre building.

The man tasked with leading a review of B.C.'s post-secondary sector has been given two additional weeks to put together his final report to the province.

Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Jessie Sunner announced an independent review of the sustainability of B.C.’s post-secondary system last November.

Don Avison, a former deputy minister and former board chair of Emily Carr University, is leading the review, which is intended to stabilize the sector through “unprecedented” financial challenges that have caused a number of institutions to cut staff and slash millions from their budgets.

In a statement to Castanet, the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills said Sunner has agreed to a two-week extension for the final report, which was requested by Avison.

The final report with recommendations had originally been scheduled to be delivered to the ministry on March 15.

The ministry said the extra time will be used by Avison to follow up with partners and stakeholders, compile information and analyze written submissions.

The review’s terms of reference state it will identify opportunities to adjust or improve revenue, consolidate institutions and their functions, reduce program duplication across schools and review tuition policies.

Will longer timeline matter?

The Alliance of BC Students has criticized the short timeline of the review, calling it “insufficient” for a comprehensive review with meaningful consultation.

According to chairperson Kevin Root, Avison told students unions on Jan. 12, during the consultation process, he’d asked for a five week extension. It appears to Root he was only granted the two.

“It demonstrates, my understanding anyways, is the ministry doesn’t care about getting the right answer, they just want an answer by a certain date,” he said.

“The ministry already predetermined what the review is going to look like, and this is more of an exercise just to satisfy that the box was ticked when stakeholders were consulted.”

When Post-Secondary Minister Jessie Sunner spoke to Castanet following the announcement of the review, she said the quick turnaround of the review will mean impacts on the sector in the near future can be mitigated quickly.

“This additional time will support a more thorough and considered set of recommendations,” the ministry’s statement reads.

The BC Federation of Students has previously said it was concerned with the short timeline. BCFS secretary-treasurer Cole Reinbold said students have been sounding the alarm that the post-secondary sector is “nearing collapse” and the government’s decision to act quickly is a good thing.

Concerns about outcomes

Reinbold said the real issue for students is not the review’s timeline, but what happens next.

They said BCFS is calling for the the province to commit to transparency by publicly releasing the full report and all stakeholder submissions, that student organizations and other parties affected by possible changes are consulted with before deciding how to implement recommendations and that tuition increases are taken off the table — particularly the potential removal of a two per cent annual cap on domestic tuition increases.

“The provincial government, the BC NDP, has a chance to show real leadership right now by releasing the full report and all submission off the get go,” Reinbold said.

Root said the Alliance also has strong feelings against the potential removal of the two per increase cap, as well as institutions being consolidated.

He said the amalgamation of institutions could create “chaos and misalignment” for years and throw students in the lurch. The Alliance also believes the voices of distinct student representatives from each campus would be lost as well, if university boards and senates are combined.

BCFS held a rally in downtown Vancouver last weekend to protest possible tuition fee increases, while the Alliance of BC Students held a rally outside Sunner’s office earlier in January to denounce the review.

Students make submissions

The ministry said Avison has been meeting with sector partners and is hearing from students, faculty, staff, institutional leaders, First Nations and other Indigenous partners.

Public consultation for the review was expected to wrap up in mid-January.

Root said the Alliance told Avison the province could better market its post-secondary institutions as “some of the best in the world” as a way to boost enrolment and make the province a “destination for education.”

Reinbold said the crux of BCFS’ submission to Avison was that the only solution for the sector is to increase public funding.

“Students are already paying way more than their fair share, it’s time for government to put the money back into the system that they have systemically defunded over the past 20 years,” they said.

The ministry said it welcomes submissions from students and faculty who wish to participate, and individual stakeholder groups interested in participating can send written feedback to [email protected].

B.C. scraps provincial EV rebates permanently amid federal renewal

BC won't bring back rebates

Photo: Chung Chow/BIV.

Electric X-Series BMWs at a lot in Vancouver, B.C., March 26, 2025.

B.C.’s energy minister said the province will not bring back its electric vehicle rebate program, which for years provided up to a $4,000 discount on a new auto.

The province paused its CleanBC Go Electric Vehicle Rebate Program in May, effectively halting up to $4,000 in rebates meant to help B.C. consumers purchase a new battery-powered car. 

The latest announcement appears to make that decision permanent. It comes shortly after the federal government announced it would reintroduce its electric vehicle rebate program within two weeks after a year-long pause. 

Ottawa's re-funded program will include rebates of up to $5,000 for a fully electric vehicle and $2,500 for a plug-in hybrid.

B.C. Minister of Energy and Climate Solutions Adrian Dix hailed the federal government’s decision to renew its EV rebate program—part of a wider set of federal investments—as a move to position Canada as a world leader in electrification. 

That's when a reporter asked whether B.C. would bring back its own EV rebate. 

“We’re going to focus on charging stations,” Dix responded. 

Hybrid vies to dominate alternative drive-trains after rebates removed

During the press conference, the energy minister described B.C. as Canadian juggernaut when it came to EV sales.

But according to data from S&P Mobility, sales of electric vehicles in Canada have fallen sharply after provincial and federal rebates were removed.

By the third quarter of 2025, year-over-year sales of zero-emission vehicles in B.C. cratered by more than 35 per cent, according to a recent report.

The data shows that gas-powered hybrid vehicles made substantial gains over electric vehicles, soaring to 20.8 per cent of new sales by the end of September 2025.

By comparison, electric vehicles accounted for 11.4 per cent of new sales, while plug-in hybrids took 7.1 per cent of the new car market (a combined 18.5 per cent).

The S&P report described B.C. as a “hybrid bellwether” reflecting a national trend. 

B.C. to align with federal move to end EV sales mandate

Budgeted at $2.3 billion, Ottawa's renewed EV rebate program is part of suite of new measures meant to kick start Canada’s electric vehicle industry.

Earlier Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said his government was moving to eliminate the existing federal EV sales mandate and replace it with stricter tailpipe emissions standards.

The sales mandate would have required that 20 per cent of autos made in Canada be electric by 2026, a figure rising to 100 per cent by 2035.

Automakers had balked at the policy—rolled out under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau—saying the targets were especially unrealistic given softening EV demand following the rebate pauses.

The new emissions standard seeks to drive a similar outcome, albeit on a less ambitious timeline, with new EV sales projected to reach 75 per cent by 2035 and 90 per cent by 2040. 

Speaking to reporters, Dix said B.C. would scrap its sales targets—which had previously been a model for Ottawa—and introduce its own legislation to align with the new federal emissions policy.

“We don’t think there should be two sets of targets. We think there should be one,” said the minister.

New measures follow year of uncertainty

The federal government has yet to release modelling to show how the new policies will impact Canada’s overall emissions. However, in a technical briefing attended by The Canadian Press, government officials said Ottawa still seeks to cut vehicle emissions in half by 2035. 

As of 2023, 12 per cent of Canada’s planet-warming emissions came from the transportation sector.

Auto manufacturers and several environmental groups said they were optimistic about the new measures, many noting they provided needed policy stability after a year of uncertainty.

Joanna Kyriazis, director of policy and strategy at Clean Energy Canada, said the new automotive strategy “prioritizes consumer affordability alongside long-term auto industry competitiveness.”

“Last year, EVs constituted one in four new cars sold globally. Canada has clearly fallen behind, consumers are missing out, and the future of our auto sector has remained fuzzy,” she said in a statement.

“Taken together, the government’s new policy package is therefore a commendable alternative for achieving these same, essential goals.”

She urged the federal government to seek a broader Canada-EU auto pact that would align emission and vehicle safety standards, and open the door for the export of more European EVs to Canada.

A report from the green think tank found that as of September 2025, EU consumers had access to 21 electric vehicles selling for less than $40,000.

“Only one of them is available in Canada,” the report concluded.

Renewed rebate part of 'generational investment' in autos

Following a recent trade mission to China, Carney agreed to import 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles per year into Canada as part of a wider agreement to lower tariffs between the two countries. And while half of those are meant to be under $35,000, none will be eligible under the renewed federal rebate.

That's because the new rebates only apply to vehicles under $50,000 and that are either made in Canada or imported from countries that have a free-trade deal with Canada.

Also part of Thursday’s announcement, Ottawa said it will invest $1.5 billion into electric vehicle infrastructure like charging stations.

The federal government is further looking to introduce a new credit system to benefit automakers that produce vehicles in Canada.

Carney described the measures as “strategic decisions and generational investments” that will help Canadians “build the cars of the future.”

“Canada’s new government is fundamentally transforming our economy,” Carney said, “from one reliant on a single trade partner, to one that is stronger, more independent, and more resilient to global shocks.”

With files from The Canadian Press 

'Millions' in missing tips: B.C. restaurants sound alarm

'Millions' in missing tips

Photo: Contributed

Eoin Foley is president of Nancy O's Restaurant Group, which owns three restaurants in Prince George, including the pizzeria Betulla Burning.

Restaurant owners across B.C. are under stress due to what they say is thousands of dollars in missing money meant to pay workers' tips from accounts at a fintech company. 

The businesses use a payment system branded by XTM Inc. (CSE:PAID), and as of late October has been managed by Everyday People Financial Corp. (TSX-V: EPF) through a jointly formed subsidiary called Everyday People Payments Inc.

BIV emailed that company and XTM CEO Marilyn Schaffer but did not get responses by press time. 

While she did not address allegations of missing tip money, in a Feb. 2 news release she did say that a compliance process had started, related to Canada's Retail Payment Activities Act.

"The transition has included challenges related to reconciliation and technology alignment," she said.

Restaurant owners use fintech intermediaries to speed the process of getting tips to workers in part because if they hold on to the money for too long in their own system it may have tax consequences, British Columbia Restaurant and Foodservices Association CEO Ian Tostenson told BIV.

Nancy O's Restaurant Group president Eoin Foley, who operates three Prince George restaurants, told BIV Thursday afternoon that his digital wallets on the Everyday People Payments platform have been out $15,000 since last week. He has not yet filed a police report, he said, but he has lodged a complaint with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.

He received an emailed form-letter response from Everyday People Payments on Monday saying that "we apologize for the delay and appreciate your patience as we work through inquiries consistently."

The company acknowledged what it called an "incident" on Jan. 28 and said that it "implemented an accelerated shift to an advance-funded processing model as required under the Canadian federal law, the Retail Payment Activities Act."

The company explained that pre-authorized debit "timing and batching were adjusted immediately so that card loads and payouts occur only once funding has been established through the banking system. This was a stabilization measure to eliminate settlement exposure and strengthen safeguarding going forward."

Whistler-based Eric Griffith, who owns the Alta Bistro and is chair of the Restaurant Association of Whistler, told BIV Wednesday that he is out about $4,400 from a digital wallet and about $11,000 from a bank account.

He told BIV that he has filed a police report, and has spent much time sending emails to Everyday People Payments and trying to get answers.

He had yet to get a response as of Thursday morning, and he said, "they don't answer their phones."

Tostenson said he has been hearing from restaurant owners across the province, including large operators. All told, the amounts that have gone unaccounted for are in the millions, he said. 

He said his association recommends members use Atlas Hospitality Automation. 

Glowbal Restaurant Group partner Patrick Austin told BIV that his company switched to Atlas in 2023 after a short stint using XTM's one, and that he likes Atlas' operation.

"XTM was offering a variety of services, like rewards programs, insurance programs, added benefits and stuff that I never really felt had any place," he said. "It had nothing to do with my staff's tips. They weren't focused on a simple and direct service. Atlas is."

Woman gets 115 days in jail for falsely claiming she was a nurse

Imposter nurse jailed

Photo: TIMES COLONIST

Charrybelle Talaue

A woman who falsely represented herself as a nurse has been sentenced to 115 days in jail.

Charrybelle Talaue, who is in her 30s, was charged in 2024 with multiple counts that also included fraud and forgery.

She pleaded guilty to five counts, one of forgery, two of identity fraud and two of fraud.

Central Saanich police said in a statement that the offences are believed to have begun in December 2023 and taken place across the Capital Regional District.

Police were contacted by Island Health after it was alleged that Talaue had used suspicious documents in applying for a nursing position.

She did not end up working for Island Health.

As the investigation unfolded, Central Saanich detectives extended their efforts into Alberta, resulting in additional charges from there.

While she was awaiting trial, Talaue fled the jurisdiction, which led to arrest warrants being issued. She was later found in Idaho and taken into custody.

She was returned to Canada, where she was remanded in custody.

“This investigation was complex and required significant collaboration with law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions,” said Central Saanich Police Chief Ian Lawson. “The efforts of our members resulted in a successful conviction and helped ensure the continued safety of our community.”

Police believe Talaue used a variety of aliases that included Charrybelle Perez Talaue, Charrybelle Talaue Baldesancho, Belle Talaue, Belle Marie, Charrybelle Baldesancho, Charie Talaue, Yves Anglehart, Belle Yves Talaue Anglehart and Charie Talaue.

The B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives has a database available to the public that can be used to see if nurses and midwives are licensed to work in B.C.

The college website is at bccnm.ca.